Hopes rise for high speed broadband boost

Internet users in Athlone, Mullingar and Roscommon will be getting the option of 1GB internet connectivity, on foot of two separate announcements made in the past week.

The three towns have been listed in the first phase of a major broadband rollout in a joint venture by the ESB and Vodafone, which will see speeds available of up to 1000 Mbps.

The two firms have announced they are to invest €450m in a 100 per cent fibre broadband network, which will bring “fibre to the building” connectivity - a first for this country.

As an open access network, it is to be available to all authorised broadband operators in the country.

Meanwhile, a day later, Eircom announced it is also to invest in a fibre to the house network, also bringing speeds of up to 1GB, in 66 communities across the country - including Mullingar, Athlone and Roscommon but also, Kinnegad.

There has been no reference in either of the announcements, to service plans for areas outside the main towns.